Des Moines man convicted of threatening Boeing, refineries

A Des Moines man was convicted Friday of making threats against The Boeing Co. and two oil companies.

Gino Augustus Turrella, 47, was accused in U.S. District Court of 19 felony counts on allegations that he posted threats against Boeing, Shell Oil and Chevron Oil Co. online. He was convicted Friday by a Seattle jury after five hours of deliberation, a U.S. Justice Department spokeswoman said in a statement.

Arrested in August 2008, federal prosecutors claimed Turrella sent threats via e-mail and online nine times. Turrella, prosecutors argued, posed as real people; in one missive, Turrella threatened to bring a gun into a Boeing facility and “shoot (every) employee.” In a search of his home, officers found more than 100 firearms.

Turrella faces a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 19 in U.S. District Court at Seattle.